French CEOs Break With Tradition to Back Macron, Reject Le Pen
- National Front win would be ‘catastrophe,’ Veolia chief says
- Airbus, Michelin bosses among those openly embracing Macron
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French executives are ditching their traditional reluctance to speak publicly about politics, openly supporting independent Emmanuel Macron in the May 7 presidential runoff against Marine Le Pen of the far-right National Front.
In statements published in business newspaper Les Echos, the CEOs of 13 companies -- including five members of the CAC 40 stock index -- said Le Pen’s policies would severely harm the country. Her plan to reintroduce a national currency to replace the euro “would be a catastrophe for French companies and inhabitants,” wrote Antoine Frérot, CEO of utility group Veolia Environnement SA. “The National Front’s program would pose a risk to the political stability of our country,” he added.